846. October 24-November 4 Affordable Events in Multicultural Toronto – 2018

The world is in Toronto but Toronto is out there in the world. Last year, an exhibition of Canadian art was shown in Venice, Italy. This month, it is available for us to see in our city. In this list of events, we try to mention those with international connections. We do avoid mentioning films – there are too many to include – but The Diaspora Film Festival sounds very important for fans of our diversity so it’s here. And then there’s Japan’s cinematic contribution to our spooky Halloween celebrations.
African dancers and their amazing energy make us forget the cold weather. As will Belgium and Dutch hospitality. The Dutch are also celebrating their Liberation with a donation to our Bata Shoe Museum.
Most of these Halloween events and exhibition launches are free, the most spectacular Celebration is in our Gay Village. Halloween is of Celtic origin though we have our own spin on it – a hospital bed race, and Justin Trudeau among the Star Wars costumes. Fort York has a spooky event for adults. Some of our Iranians are celebrating Halloween too. Mexico has its Day of the Dead. It’s interesting how much Mexico’s differs from Halloween. The Japanese films and our Public Library events are free. We’ve tried to choose stimulating events that are relatively inexpensive to help you enjoy our multiculturalism. And alas, there are many more happenings we don’t have space to mention. 
Africa. Congo. Guinea. Blandine + Fatoumata Kouyaté + Mabinty Sylla. October 28. Doors: 7pm. Concert: 8pm. Tickets: Advance $15 / Door $20. (Dinner reservations guarantee seating). Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street West, a block and half west of Dufferin. https://www.lula.ca/calendar; https://www.lula.ca/ or 416-588-0307 to reserve. Belgium. Netherlands. Frites Night. Tuesday October 30. 6-9pm. Prenup Pub, 191 College Street. “This is a monthly event organized by the Belgian Community that is open to all, that allows you to network in a relaxed atmosphere, meet new people, or just have a good time with friends! “Please register – The event is free, but this gives us an idea how many people to expect!

Each month Frites Night gives you the chance to win prizes through its many partners, such as tickets for concerts & various plays, Belgian & Dutch beers, dinner at a restaurant, Belgian chocolate, free event & membership at the Belgian Canadian Business Chamber, etc.” For more information: www.belgiumconnect.com and facebook.com/fritesnight.

Canada. Italy. Public Opening Reception. Imago Mundi Project. Great and North. Wednesday, October 24. 7-9pm. Free. Cash bar available. Onsite Gallery, 199 Richmond Street West.

This comprehensive exhibition features works by 760 artists from across Canada, including Inuit and Indigenous artists from Turtle Island. This sweeping exhibition, part of the global Imago Mundi project, creates a snapshot of contemporary art across the country today. Presented for the first time in Canada, it was shown in Italy last year and included featured artists, writers, designers and architects Margaret Atwood, Rebecca Belmore, David Blackwood, Ed Burtynsky, Robert Houle, Andrew Jones, An Te Liu, Jack Diamond, Ed Pien, Vincenzo Pietropaolo, Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Moshe and Sylvia Safdie, Michael Snow and Joanne Tod.

Exhibition continues October 24, 5pm to Sunday, December 16, 2018. Free. Phone: 416-977-6000 x456. Email: onsite@ocadu.ca. For more information about this exhibition and Italian-centered events in Toronto: http://iictoronto.esteri.it/iic_toronto/resource/doc/2018/10/iic_2018_multi-evite.pdf.Canada. Halloween. Halloween is on October 31. It was originally an ancient Celtic festival and a religious event, the eve of All Saints’ Day. Toronto has been developing many traditions around this occasion, which must look very strange to newcomers to our town and country. Thousands of skeletons, ghosts and pumpkins decorate our stores and homes in an effort to amuse or scare children, many of whom will be going from door to door in residential neighbourhoods, dressed like Spiderman, princesses, Justin Trudeau, or Kim Kardashian. Yes, Google says a Justin Trudeau costume is one of its highest searches. Costumes were originally meant to ward off ghosts. Now, children dress up primarily to “trick or treat” for candy while adults dress up for fun.

Many neighbourhoods organize special family events and fund raisers. Among these:

St. Joseph’s Toronto West Halloween Fest. Oct. 28. 11am-4pm. Free. Bloor Street West at Runnymede. http://supportstjoes.ca/events/st-joes-events/st-josephs-toronto-west-halloween-fest/

Dorothy Ley Hospice Annual Halloween Bed Race. October 28. 12:30pm. Free. The Kingsway, 3200 Bloor St West and Jackson Avenue, Etobicoke. https://www.thepropertyteam.ca/halloween-bed-race

Fort York After Dark Lantern Tours. $15. https://www.fortyork.ca/news-a-events/events/480-fort-york-after-dark-lantern-tours-2018.html.

Some events are specific to particular cultural groups: for example,  Second Official Persian Golchin 60 Party. October 26. 10pm-3am. $25. Boss Club, 10 Esna Park Drive, Markham. https://www.tbmentertainment.com/. (Thanks to Kodoom Email Alerts for this information.)

Free events mainly for children are at the Toronto Public Library: http://www.littlepaper.com/events/halloween-at-the-library/2018-10-10/
The Japan Foundation has three free Dark and Occult Films for Halloween. October 30 and November 1 and 6. http://jftor.org/events/list/ .

And one of our most spectacular and popular free events, Halloween on Church is in our Gay Village on October 31: https://yohomo.ca/nightlife-listings/halloween-on-church.

Image from www. thePropertyteam.ca

Canada. Germany. Mike Field Release of New Album True Stories. Tuesday, October 30. 9:30pm. $10-$12. Mix of jazz, world and punk. The Rex, Jazz & Blues Bar, 194 Queen West. You can hear his music on: http://www.mikefieldjazz.com/truestories. I’ve included Mike, who has performed abroad frequently, because I like his music and he will be playing next year in Germany. https://www.facebook.com/mikefieldjazzFrancophone. Théâtre français de Toronto. La Seconde Surprise de l’amour. October 17-28. Pay what you can (Wednesday and Thursday Oct. 24, 25). In French with surtitles in English on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Berkeley Street Theatre – Upstairs, 26 Berkeley Street. http://theatrefrancais.com/en/the-second-surprise-of-love/

Image from Théâtre français de Toronto website.

Mexico. Day of the Dead. October 27. Artscape Wychwood Barns: http://artscapewychwoodbarns.ca/event/day-of-the-dead-celebration/.   Also October 28 at the Evergreen Brickworks:  https://www.evergreen.ca/whats-on/event/annual-day-of-the-dead-celebration/, and November 3 and 4 at Harbourfront: http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/whatson/today.cfm?discipline_id=&mode=day&&month=11&year=2018&day=3&week=44&searchvenue=.
Multicultural. Turkey, South Africa, Germany, Switzerland, Iran, Mexico, and India. International Diaspora Film Festival. November 1-4. $12-$15. Festival Pass: $75 regular (less than $6.25 per screening). Carlton Cinema, 20 Carlton Street (College Subway), Ryerson University, and Library Theater, 350 Victoria Street. This festival promotes films from around the world dealing with the subject of migration and displacement…”Some highlights this year include the premiere Toronto screening of Iranian-French filmmaker Abbas Kiarastami’s last film, “24 Frames” and a reading of Rawi Hage’s novel “Beirut Hellfire Society”, featuring an interview by Armenian-Canadian director Atom Egoyan.” http://diasporafilmfest.com/buy-tickets/ ,
Muslim. Islamic History Month Canada Celebration. October 28. 2-4pm. Free. Lower Social Room, Noor Cultural Centre, 123 Wynford Dr, North York. In 2007, Parliament designated October as Islamic History Month Canada, to celebrate the history, and intellectual, scientific and cultural contributions of Muslims and Islamic civilizations. Since 2016, October is also recognized as Islamic Heritage Month in Ontario.

Please join us for our program dedicated to Islamic history; details to be announced:” https://noorculturalcentre.ca/?p=17579. Tel. 416-444-7148 for update.

Image from Noor Website.

Netherlands. Luncheon Club Liberation Event. October 30. 6-8:30pm. $15 ticket includes presentation of Dutch Liberation Wooden Shoes to the Bata Shoe Museum, museum visit, drinks (non-alcohol), and Dutch snacks! Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West. For more information, and registration, visit www.luncheon.ca. http://www.dutchtreat.ca/#UpcomingOther.
Note from Ruth: TorontoMulticulturalCalendar.com chooses to promote events that encourage a feeling of community in our culturally diverse city. Mention doesn’t mean endorsement as we try to include events we think readers will find stimulating in the cultures of other groups. If you go to any of our mentioned events, please send us corrections or an account of your impressions so we will know whether or not to promote these events in future.

Let us know the kind of events that interest you. Please continue to send us posters. We don’t charge to post them and we don’t accept paid advertising. Please post comments on “Leave a Reply” below. Email us at: ruthlormalloy@gmail.com. Please subscribe to our Newsletter above. If you don’t hear from us, look into your “Junk” mail at least once a week for us there. Thanks for your interest.

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